Oh, yeah, I can tell that you worked hard on the image. It's just that I used the exact same background for my art 'First Refit'. [link] I was wondering if you layered over the top of the image (like I did), or if you used the CS5 oil painting technique of painting with the original on a lower layer. Either way, it looks great.

This is pretty amazing, actually. The lighting on the water, the details in the clouds, and the Sun's flare are particularly spectacular. I love the variation in the atmospheric conditions, too. Awesome work!